SSEA Toronto: Shadows and Droplets: Timekeeping Instruments in Ancient Egypt
How were the ancient Egyptian day and night divided? What do we know about keeping time during the span of pharaonic history? Have many objects used for timekeeping survived? Do we know who made and used them and why? This talk discusses ‘formal’ methods for measurement of hours in ancient Egypt, giving an overview of the surviving evidence including sundials and water clocks. We will compare different instruments and trace the extent to which we understand the time-keeping function of each.
Sarah Symons is an Associate Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Science at McMaster University. She teaches aspects of history of science, science communication, mathematics, and astronomy. Her research interests include astronomy and timekeeping in ancient Egypt. Sarah is also Director of the William J. McCallion Planetarium in Hamilton.
Who can attend: Everyone
Fee: Free
Registration: Eventbrite
Organized by: Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities (SSEA) ~ Toronto Chapter
Location: University of Toronto, Sidney Smith Hall, 100 St George St, Room 1084, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3